I leaned against the cool brick of the boutique’s exterior, watching the scene unfold through the glass like a silent movie. Vanessa’s expression shifted from smug confidence to confusion, then panic, as reality set in. The store clerk shook her head, pointing at the card machine. My sister’s wedding, her grand performance, was hitting an unexpected intermission.
Inside, Vanessa’s entourage began to murmur. Our mother, Diane, fumbled with her purse, pulling out her own credit card, only to be met with a similar rejection. The fairy tale was unraveling, and there was no fairy godmother in sight.
I took a deep breath, letting the air fill my lungs and steady my racing heart. I thought about the years I spent overseas, the hours under the scorching sun, the echoes of distant explosions. The sacrifices I’d made, not just for my country, but for the family who now stood inside, oblivious to the battle playing out on a different front.
